Just a day

What a week, I can't believe it's already over. The team worked really hard and got the two classrooms well under-way and ready to lay block. Gira (top left) is still as cute as ever and is really warming up and loving on everyone which is great to see.

Today was an amazing day, despite everything. I was given the day mostly off by my fantastic Kids Alivers and I went to a new beach with friends and then came home to flowers and more flowers from friends that are so pretty (my friends and the flowers!). I'm reminded how special my days are here, how loved and protected I am, how supported I am...and I'm thankful to have gone through another "day".

And as one team was sent on the plane, another one arrived 2 hours later. We've got a full week ahead again as the school continues to be blessed by the work and friendship that they bring!

Beach day

We spent the afternoon and evening in Cabarete at the beach. It was a nice time to hang out and swim and enjoy the sun. The best part was dinner at Casanova, one of the greatest restaurants. Not such a bad evening!

P.S.

Their luggage all arrived on Monday night and we were all very excited.

Dump day

We spent yesterday morning in the Sosua dump. It was interesting to walk through and see it all. There are all sorts of people who work in the dump, sorting bottles and plastic, food and clothes. Trying to find things to eat, sell, save. It was a hard reality that this is their daily life...they were there yesterday, they will be there tomorrow. I don't know where their hope comes from to keep going back, to keep looking through the garbage alongside the cows. They sang for us and then we gave them a bit of lunch and water, and even that whole process was hard to take in. It reminds me that the difficulties I face in life are nothing. They are absolutely nothing.

First full day

We had our first full day with the Plano Bible team. We had to shuffle things around a bit because luggage didn't arrive and going to the beach isn't as fun without swimsuits. We went to Haitian church then went up the Puerto Plata mountain on cable cars and walked around for a bit. It's been a good day and we're still hoping for the bags to make their way here...or else it might be a long week in the same clothes!

Growing baby

I just have to show off how cute my little Princesa is now. She can roll over completely and is smily and happy and I love her so much.

Flexibility

Our newest team arrived yesterday afternoon...all 16 of them, with no luggage! Apparently the connection was too tight in Miami and not even one suitcase made the switch. They are being great though about it all and hopefully we'll see 30 suitcases on our doorstep later today! Looking forward to another fun week ahead.

My life

What is this life that I live that is hard to fully understand? Why is this now such a part of who I am? I long for others to know this, to see and feel as I do.

This is my life. It's waking up to the roosters at 5 am, then music from the loud speakers at 6:30. It's greeting Domy my neighbor in her salon next door and having oatmeal with cloves and milk for breakfast. It's the joy of my day to hear my kids singing after lunch, clapping and smiling, their tough exteriors wiped away even if for only 20 minutes. It's dirt roads, potholes, crossing rivers to get to the school, cane fields, rain and sun and heat. It's Spanish and Creole, rice and beans and plantains and yucca.

I feel like my life here is built on relationships and moments I get to spend with others. It's hearing Big Wilson speak English, hugging Zenida closely, watching mischevious little Vldamir get in trouble again. It's listening to Lydia's wisdom and watching Alberto' faith. It's getting special coffee made for me because Zeneida knows I love it. It's having Gira on my back saying to her dad "Papi, mira!" And it's watching Princesa grow, holding her tight, cuddling her when she cries.

I think this life is hard to understand because it has taken me so far away. But it's not about leaving family and friends, it's about finding them wherever I am. Yet, it's leaving, but it's not forgetting or loving any less. If anything, I cherish even more the time I am given with my family and friends.

When no electricity, bucket showers, dirt in the elbow crease that almost never seems to wash away, and a regular application of DEET have become such a way of life for me, it is hard to imagine anything else.

To be with these children, with those around my, that's what my days are. To not only share Jesus' joy with them, but to truly find it in their eyes and hearts. If only for today little Frankie knows that he is loved, that is enough for me, my job is done.

What started as a 5-week trip has now become my heart and my passion. It's tracing an 8 year old's hand because she can't write her name yet on a card to her sponsor. It's giving kids a chance, a help, a hope. Even if it means organizing yet another bag of clothes, translating one more time the same thing, or getting another fungal infection, I will take it all!

This is my life. Sometimes hard to undersand, seemingly chance for me to end up here, but feeling that it has been planned for years, these are my days. Sharing love, finding joy, letting go of self to discover something greater. I understand this life. I love this life.

And as rain echoes from the tin roof next door and the little girl in the street runs around in her undies chanting "lluvia, lluvia!", I feel at peace. For here, for now, this is where I belong.

Grateful

Whoever on the team thought that it was a good idea to leave a whole box of Reese's Puffs cereal...thank you. I am forever indebted to you. What a beautiful morning it was!

To be a Dominican...

Why I make a good Dominican:

I can wring out a mop with my hands and not think twice
I can ride a motorcycle side-saddle in a skirt
I like to eat rice and beans everyday


Why I don't make a good Dominican:

I don't wear a shower cap or plastic bag over my hair when it rains
I don't eat chicken feet
I can't make rice
I still don't like touching raw chicken
My hair doesn't need to be dried in rollers then wrapped around my head to be straight
I mop my house back to front, not front to back


I don't care if I can't be a good Dominican...I'm staying!

Team Week

We had such a great week, a quick, hot, sweaty week! A team was here from Missouri and worked on starting the new classrooms and painting the school. It all looks amazing! The school now matches our cafeteria, and the classrooms are well underway and on-track for starting a new class in the fall.

I got to hang out with my Princesa a bit this week too and I can't believe how big she's getting...she has a pony tail now and it's really cute. I miss having her around all the time and look forward to Monday when we get back to class and the Princesa comes to school again! On Thursday night we went to the beach for songtime which was one of my highlights for the week. A nice time to relax and enjoy the beach and each other and think about all that happened throughout the week.

I'm so grateful for all the hard work this team put in, the talks we had, the time we got to share together. I learned a lot this week and look forward to putting it to use in the weeks to come. Late nights and early mornings and a little gripe sickness later and the week went really fast.

Teams

Our first big official team has arrived! It's been great and all is well. We spent Sunday in Jarbacoa for a day trip to see the different Kids Alive sites and play at the waterfalls. It was a really nice day and good time to share about all that we do here. Today was working at the school, and they WORKED! They hauled loads and loads of concrete to fill in the massive footers that are the start to our new classrooms. It was a hot and sweaty day, but everyone came back fairly happy and content with the work they had done. And I got to hang out with Princesa, which makes any day better!

Fruits and Vegetables

So I went to the market today to get fruits and vegetables for the team. Again, never bought that many melons, plantains, or oranges in my life! I felt funny walking away with such quantities...but it's fun somehow too! The thing is, there just isn't room in the fridge for it all, and it all has to be kept somewhat cool cause it's so hot and the fruit ripens and vegetables go off within a few days. So needless to say, I have food coming literally packed into every corner of this house. Looking forward to using it all up and sharing with the group that arrives tomorrow.

Food buy

So one of my jobs is to buy the food for the groups that are staying in the house. Yesterday I did just that and look what happened to the kitchen!!! I haven't ever bought that much food in my life, I needed 2 shopping carts. Granted it is for 20+ people and they're here for a week, but that wasn't even all of it. Today I'm going to the fruit and vegetable market to get fresh things and then I'll do another shop mid-week! It's fun doing this job, I really liked shopping. We actually went to a bigger city called Santiago (were already on our way there) where they have the D.R. equivelant of Costco. I literally felt like I stepped back into the U.S. in this place, it was identical. From the items for sale, the set-up, samples, and ice cream and hot dogs and pizza after you pay. Of course we needed some ice cream after the hard day of shopping! Looking forward to the coming week and sharing with this group...hope they like D.R. Fruit Loops!

Village

I got to spend the day in the village today, going from house to house with letters and gifts to the kids from their sponsors. It is always a rewarding job that I'm thankful to have done. To sit with the kids and families and talk, hear about their lives, that's what I love about this place, that is what I love to be a part of. It's walking through the village and recognizing so many kids...but wanting to know all of them, wanting all of them in our school. As we construct new classrooms this summer, I hope that can become a reality. There are so many kids in the village, it's a big job ahead! And Princesa turned 4 months old today and was especially cute and smiley.

More beach photos

Beautiful

I had such an amazing day today. We went on an adventure and I had no idea what to expect. We went for about 2 hours driving, but it was incredible. The views on the drive were beautiful...I'm ready to buy land and build a house! We stopped along the way and were able to easily get to the beach which was totally secluded, not a person in sight. Sometimes I look around and it's hard to believe that not only to I get to work with fantastic kids and staff, but I live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. It was nice to sit on the beach for a bit and take it all in, be reminded of how little I am in this big world, and all the opportunities that are laid out before me. I need days like today!

Summer

Summer is here! It's upon us in heat, teams, change of pace, everything. We currently have our first work team at Caraballo and it's been a fun week. It's a nice reminder as I talk with them, about why I'm here and what it is that I really do. The heat is...hot! I'm thankful for fans and showers and knowing that if I'm desperate the beach is 15 mins away. I've been able to hang out with Princesa recently too which I love because she's a great little baby. Lots of plans coming together for the summer as we prepare for all the teams coming in, I know it will all be great!

New Job Description

So I didn't know I was going to double as a vet while here too, but I'm open to whatever role comes my way. This week it was injecting our 80 hens with Penicillin as they were sick. They needed 3 days of it and I got to give 2 because I went to Jarabacoa on day 3. Oh the lessons I learn!

Flood

So this was yesterday...a very long day! Lots of water, smelly septic water, but at least it's over. Alberto and I mopped and swept out water for awhile until some friends came over to help which I was so grateful for. They finished off the house and left it smelling Mistolin-clean. I did about 4 loads of towel and throw-rug wash and am happy we have 7 bunks in one room as they serve as great drying racks (it's still raining outside). What a great group of people I have around me, even when things are smelly and rough, they stuck around and made it all better. I think we've resolved the issue of water entering the house...or will have by the end of the day anyways. I'm happy to never do that again.

House update

I've been meaning to put on some photos of the almost-ready-for-teams updates to the house. The kitchen got a pantry closet, my bedroom got a closet...and 10 bunkbeds arrived. We can hold up to 20 people now, plus one extra in my bed if we really need to!

Bedtime yet?

This was my day:

Injected 80 hens with penicillin because they are ill
Mopped, swept, mopped, bucketed, mopped, and mopped the flooded house.
Filled in holes in bathroom where water came in from

The rain continues, the water continues, the street is a river.

"Is this what they did when the flood started?", I wondered at times today. Then I remembered the rainbow and that He won't do that again...but it's getting close, it feels like.

Off to bed finally as I don't know what tomorrow will hold, I'll post more if I can!

Photos from last day of school and mother's day

One more song, all for you Candace!

More songtime, mainly for Candace's heart

Mother's Day and Last day of School

Today was a very special day at the care center. It was the last day of school and also a celebration for Mother's Day, which is this weekend in the D.R. The kids had a special lunch with Coke at noon, went home and changed and got their moms, then all came back at 3:00. The kids had poem presentations, lots of singing and clapping, more food, and each kid was given a bag of clothes to take home. I am so blessed to be a part of this. Sometimes I just sit in my favorite window seat in the cafeteria trying to take it all in, how each one of these kids has touched my heart so dearly. Whether it's little Wilson's hugs, Princesa's smile, mischevious Vladimir, naughty Jesny, or Ramoncito blowing kisses, each and every one of these little guys is so dear to me. I feel like I was given 150 kids by coming here and now feel so protective of them, I just want to take care of them and to show them how loved and special they are.

Singing at the school, my favorite time of the day

More firsts for Princesa

Little Princesa got to go hiking yesterday! We hiked up the Puerto Plata mountain yesterday and she did it with us. Okay, so the photo makes it look like I carried her all the way, but we actually traded her off! It was a hot day, especially wearing a blanket! On the way back down we swam in the river and waterfalls which made the whole sweaty adventure worth it!

We're into our last week of school this week before a few weeks break and summer program starts. I can't believe we're already into summer. Our summer teams start in two weeks which will be fun and challenging to have them in the house and excellent to have them in the school and village. I can't wait to see all that happens this summer.

Warming up

The high for today is 91

It feels like it too!

Back to school

All continues well at the school, I got to go for just a bit today as there is lots of work still going on at the house to be there for. I wish I could fully describe how dear these kids are, what they mean to me, how grateful I am to spend my days with them. I'm also grateful to cuddle on little Princesa all day...I can't wait for the weekend to watch her again!

Picture update

Just a few pictures from the Kids Alive retreat a few weekends back...these are the Kids Alive-ers that are living all over the island. We got to all get together and catch up and talk and it was a nice time to see everyone again.

What's for dinner?

Oh that's right, chicken. I want the feet this time though.

(don't forget you can click on the photo for a better look, it's worth it!)

Weekend

We had a fun few days with our baby, she's getting cuter by the day! When I was in Guatemala I bought one of those shoulder sacks for carrying babies in...and got to try it out this weekend with little Princesa. She LOVED it! She was crying for her sack, or so we translated it as such. She's happiest when she's sleeping in her sack and that's the way we like her!

Candace left today for Canada until (hopefully) the end of August. The house is already sad and empty without her, but I trust that good things are going to happen this summer and this is the way it is all supposed to be! Doesn't mean I have to like it though, right?

Baby weekend

We get to have the baby again for the weekend and it's so fun. She's really happy right now and I love her smiles. What fun it is to be a weekend mom!

Big

Just wanted to show you the mammal-sized cockroaches! Notice the actual splattering of guts, that's how liquidy they are!

Reflections

The following was written by Naomi Gillette, who was here in March with Mercy Ships. This so perfectly sums up many aspects of daily life here, the things that take place, the heart that this has given me...


I went to the Dominican Republic and:

Sometime I felt rich,
but mostly I felt poor, as I saw the true riches of the poor.

Sometimes I felt capable of giving,
but mostly I received.

Sometimes I had words,
but mostly the touches, the smiles, the outstretched welcoming hands said more than a thousand words.

Sometimes I felt loving and capable of giving love,
but more overwhelmingly I felt loved, accepted and even desired.

Sometimes I longed to see the big picture,
but mostly God showed me that it’s the orphan and widow, one person at a time, that He’s concerned for, this is the big picture!

Sometimes I wanted to feel spiritual,
but mostly God taught me that his love is best communicated in less-than-spiritual things.

Sometimes I expected to see a spirit of hopelessness and despair,
but mostly I saw supernatural joy.

Sometimes I felt wise,
but mostly I felt humbled by the people’s resilience to adversity, their generosity, and their love for, and trust in Jesus.

Sometimes I felt big,
but mostly I felt small and realised that small is big in that mysterious, beautiful, paradoxical kingdom that Christ gave us a glimpse of.

May His kingdom come and His will be done in the Dominican Republic.

A people filled with joy that taught me so much!

Hen house complete!

The much anticipated day finally arrived! Today we got 80 hens delivered and it was so much fun. We had some of the older kids help us get the inside of the henhouse ready and then set the hens free in their new home. It's going to be so great having them, using the eggs to supplement meals at the school. It was the idea of Mercy Ships, who started in in March, but because of rain, etc., it's taken this long to get everything together and ready. Nonetheless, we have lovely hens and had a fun afternoon with them, making sure everything was in place and set-up.

A bit of home

Last weekend we went to a Kids Alive retreat in Constanza...the mountains. It was a nice time to see others from around the island that I don't get to see or spend that much time with. To get there, we had to go through one of the main cities, Santiago, and it just so happens they have Taco Bell...and it was amazing! So amazing in fact, that on our way back, we stopped again and brought home burritos. It felt very American to sit on my couch eating Taco Bell take-out!

Needs

So one of the things that didn't make it in my big move was my nursing drug guide reference. It was one of the things I was really excited about getting here, but have been unable to find it...not really sure where it went. Anyhow, for all my little nurses out there, if any of you have an old one that you don't need and would be willing to send it on, let me know. All the medicines we use are donated from people in the States, many times they are new or unfamiliar meds that I haven't had much practice with, hence the need for the nursing reference. It's possible to look them up online to get more info, but not when I'm in the village and needing a med. Anyhow, let me know if there are any old nursing drug guides around, thanks!!

Weekend with the baby

We got to have baby Princesa stay with us this weekend which was so fun. It's the first of many weekends that we get to be mommies to her and it was fantastic. Lots of bottles and diapers and tears, but also lots of laughs and smiles and cuddling. She is so fantastic in the morning, really happy and smiley and so sweet...makes up for her mid-afternoon meltdowns! I can't wait for our next weekend with her.

Cofresi Beach

Monday was a national holiday so I got to spend the afternoon at the beach. We walked along the shoreline where all the rocks are, through caves and tunnels, it was brilliant! So much fun, although it did actually make my feet bleed because some of the rocks were so sharp. Really nice day off...any day at the beach is nice though.

House Dedication

We had a house dedication on Saturday which went really well. There were 40-ish people that came to help bless and dedicate the house. It was a good time to share the vision for what is ahead for the teams that will share in the house as well as for the school. We sang, prayed, had a small talk, ate lots and drank fantastic juice. It was a great way to start into the house, really putting into action what we hope the house can be.

Wedding in the village

We got to attend a wedding in the village on Thursday for one of our friends and a girl from our school. It was such a special day! After the wedding we were invited back to the well-filled house for cake and soda and sharing with the family. It was so amazing to sit in the hot front room of their brick home and share the love and joy of being part of their family. I continue to learn so much from being here, far more than I ever imagined. What a very special day for both Candace and I, sometimes we just can't believe that this is where we really get to live.

Tortugas

The newest addition to our house is two tiny turtles. We went to the pet store to get fish and came back with two baby turtles. My joy was short-lived as my mom said they are not allowed in the states anymore because of disease...but I still really like them, I just won't tough them. Candace and I are still working on names for them, but they are so entertaining!

The tally is in...

Most unnecessary items in my move:

Cricket doll (although amusing to play with...can you believe that her batteries still work, she still knows how to sing AND her eyes still move??!!)

Scarves, stocking hats, gloves (although many Dominicans would disagree and call them a necessity)

Playstation and VCR (useless when I have no TV)

Prom dresses (although we're dreaming of what we can do with them)

Most anticipated items:

Candles

Refried beans

Dish towels

Flannel sheets

Bed

Clothes

Itmes that are more fun than I ever imagined:

Photo albums

Fish tanks

Skillet

Griddle (especially as we have no stove yet)

BBQ

Number of items broken/damaged in the move:

7 (not so bad for such a long journey)

First week

It has been such fun setting up our house! What a first week we have had. It's nice having our own space and place to really unpack things...what a long time that has been! It's fun having friends over, lots of visitors in and out over the last week, but it's all fantastic. The house is better than we ever thought or expected, my favorite time is the evenings when we get to come home after being at school and just, well, be. What a blessing this house is, I'm so glad God thought it was a good idea for us to live here.

Updates

Wow, what a week it has been. All I can say is that this house is more than we ever expected or hoped it would be. What a blessing it is to get to stay here and set up home!

The week has been full, as we opened box after box and went up and down stairs. It is coming to an end now thankfully, and is looking fantastic. Hard to believe we ever didn´t live here!

My apologies for not being on email or updating the blog this week...but I´m sure there are many understanding eyes. The hope is to eventually get email at the house, but it looks like that may be a long time coming. In the meantime, I´m using internet cafes and will need to work out how I can go about getting photos, etc. onto the blog from here. Believe me, I have a lot of photos from this week.

Thank you for all the support and prayers through all of this time, what a lot of ups and downs this journey has been.

So sad

I ate my last Reese's peanut butter Christmas tree today...

Finally

Wow, it's here! After leaving Washington D.C., hanging out in Oregon for 3 months, travelling to England for a few months, then sitting in customs here for almost 4 months, my things have finally found their way to our little house in Montellano! It's incredible.

So I have to tell a story of how amazing God is and the lessons I've learned in all of this. I don't often do this, so just bear with me. You see, when I got back in January, I felt I really needed to hurry and find a house because I had all these things that were going to clear customs soon (it arrived 28 Dec). We looked and looked and there was literally nothing available...nothing. I felt I just needed to not worry, trust in God's big plan, and wait on Him! Then this house became available but it needed many weeks of work to be move-able, so we went for it. It is more than I ever thought we would have, I can't wait for all that we get to do there, for the teams that we'll share the house with, the open doors we hope to have to those that come in. So after calming myself a few times about finding somewhere to live, I had to continue to trust that God would show me his perfect timing, again, with my things arriving. Can you believe that not 10 minutes after the cleaners finished drying the floors that the truck pulled up with my things! God had it all worked out from the beginning and just wanted me to trust Him. So many lessons to be learned as I walk through this, I don't know all of what is ahead, but I have learned a lot about how God just calls us to be fully abandoned to Him, to trust Him with everything, He is in control of it all and has the power to do anything. I could have settled for a small apt that was seemingly unsafe by the taxi stand, but I felt there was something more and it would be worth waiting for...and now I see what it is. I continue to learn, grow, and change daily as I walk this path. God doesn't want anything more than trust and obedience, to know that He has us in His hand and will guide us each step of the way. That's what I'm trying to do here anyways...

(And yes, that is my Cricket doll that made it here too!)

Night hike

On Saturday I was able to climb the Puerto Plata mountain again...but at night! We left about 8:30 for the trek up the mountain with flashlights and arrived after midnight. We set up tents and wandered around a bit and finally went to sleep. We got up again at 6am to get back down the mountain and play in the river...but someone thought it might be a good idea to run down, which I think was stupid because I haven't been that tired in a long time! What a fun trip though!

My mom's cooler than yours

So my mom went as a relief worker with the Red Cross to Holly, Colorado last week after the tornado. She was working mainly in the shelters, but got to tour around too and see the area. She also served as a Spanish translator cause she's pretty cool. She got to learn a lot and experience disaster relief and is ready for the next one, although we hope that doesn't come soon.

Wow

So I walked into the house the other day and look what I found! So they thought it would be exciting to paint the rooms a fun color...can you believe it??!! I nearly had a heart attack when I walked into it. Look at that magenta, wow! And the top left photo, doesn't it (sorry) look like a uterus and Fallopian tubes (my maternity nursing coming through here, but Candace agrees). Oh well, you can't plan it all I guess. Anyhow, the bathrooms are amazing and the stairs are fantastic and smooth. So maybe, just maybe, we may be moving in Sunday or Monday. We're going to clean the windows on Saturday and the floors will get shinied (?) up on the weekend too, so it's just nearly there. Oh, and my things...they still haven't arrived. :)

Baby Princesa

Just wanted to show off what a cute baby we have! Princesa is 2 months old and I love her so very much. We get to have her on the weekends once we move in and I can't wait. We've been cuddling her in the daytime and feeding her and burping her and being little mommies...and it's the best job in the world!

Back to school

After a week's break, school is back in session. I missed my kids so much, it's so nice to see them and hug on them and I look forward to being with them everday! We had a pizza party on Monday which was excellent, I'm sure many of the kids had never had pizza before. We got to love on our baby, Princesa, yesterday at school which always makes for a great day. Every now and then I get some work in, between hugging kids and translating, and worked on little Rosario's leg that had been burned. I LOVE this place!

Medical needs

There are a few things that we could use at the center if anyone has extras:

Blood pressure cuffs-adults and peds
Otoscope-to look in ears
I don't know what the word is, but it's the plastic/metal stick that is for pulling things out of ears...it has a small open loop on the end and is very handy

Any meds are amazingly helpful, especially the basics of antibiotis, pain relievers, antacids, cough/cold meds.

Let me know if you are interested and I can tell you how to get it down here. Thanks so much.

Update

So the latest with all the updates is this...

My things continue to hang out in customs! It all arrived here the 28th of December and over the last 3-ish weeks has been cleared by customs, but not been deliverable yet. There were problems with heavy rains, roads getting washed away, the truck not getting set-up properly, and then Semana Santa was the problem for last week. Anyhow, I have been promised it will arrive this week...they said Monday, but I'm hopefully that it'll be here Tuesday or Wednesday-or before the week is over I guess. I've learned a lot about patience and waiting and not being in too big of a hurry!

The house has also nearly been finished! Maybe, just maybe, we may actually be able to move in by the end of the week. I'm so glad the rain stopped and they were able to sort out the roof last week. They still need to set up all the pipes to our water will work, put the toilets and sinks in the bathrooms, pain another coat, clean the floors, and get things like a stove and fridge...but we are so close now. I feel it's going to be a good week!

That's it for now, believe me that I'll be posting all the exciting events as they happen!

Happy Easter!

Jarabacoa Trip

We took a day trip up to Jarabacoa today, up to the mountains! It was Mercy Ships' last weekend here, so we took a waterfall hiking trip which was excellent. They got to see another part of Kids Alive which is always great to share with others, we had a picnic lunch and then set off. It was such a beautiful hike and nice to see my Jarabacoa friends again! To top it off, we got to have Colombian food for dinner.

Semana Santa

What a week it has been! At the school, the hen house is nearly finished after a hard week of work. Next week the roof should go on and the hens be delivered so we're ready to move forward with egg-collecting. I had the chance to work with the Defensa Civil, which is like the Dominican Red Cross, on Thursday and Friday. During the last four days of the week, they are sent to the beaches to help keep things safe and be ready for any accidents. It was a funny few days as I sat hoping no one would drown! As Candace and I don't exactly look Dominican, we got a some funny looks walking on the beach in our "uniform", but it was worth it for getting to experience this. And yes, the guy in the bottom right photo has a massive gun...I guess just in case!

Mountain Hike

We had the best day today!! We hiked the main mountain in Puerto Plata today which was amazing. Well, the day started with breakfast with Mercy Ships where I got to have not only Trix cereal, but Cookie Crisp as well! We then headed out to the hike which took us about 3 hours to get to the top. It was so beautiful all the way, and the view once we got to the top was incredible, all the way out into the ocean and over all the hills. We had lunch at the top and sang songs and then took a cable car back to the bottom of the mountain. It really was a perfect day, I'm so glad we were able to go along...and the rain held off for us.

Beach afternoon

Candace and I met up with some other Kids Alive-ers today at the beach in Cabarete. Thankfully the sun came out a bit and we got to swim in the ocean and lay in the sun. After awhile the clouds rolled in though and we were thankful for our sheet to wrap up in-somewhat cocoon/womb-like! The beach is always amazing though, hot, warm, or cold!